History: For decades, chemicals were dumped at the 65-acre site that
Blank Park Zoo had wanted

Safety: It's safe to play and fish at what is now a popular park,
environmental experts report

By MELISSA WALKER
DES MOINES REGISTER (IA)
September 8, 2007

A Polk County park eyed for a major expansion of Blank Park Zoo sits
atop a decades-old military dump site that officials fear has left soil
and a popular fishing spot contaminated with pesticides, asbestos and
chemical compounds.

That is one reason zoo officials decided last month to back away from a
proposed land swap that would have transferred ownership of the 65 park
acres to the city, paving the way for a $57 million zoo expansion.

"The city told us that right now, with their initial findings, they did
not want the zoo to move on to that property," said Jim Hourigan,
president of the Blank Park Zoo Foundation. "They thought the levels
that were detected were high enough that we should look for a site
elsewhere. ... I don't think they want the liability associated with
owning it."